Exploring the Early Americas

Zoom Explorers

The European Voyages of Exploration: The Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries

This multimedia tutorial focuses on Spain and Portugal's explorations and conquests in Asia, Africa, the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and the Americas.

Passages: A Treasure Trove of North American Exploration

Features information on European voyages and explorations in North America, from Columbus's Atlantic crossing in 1492 to Roald Amundsen's exploration of the Northwest Passage in 1905. Browsable by name of explorer, or chronological outline.

Major European Explorers

Explorers of North and Central America

Famous Explorers (Elizabethan Era)

Famous Explorers

Biographies of Famous Explorers

Portugal

• Portuguese Explorers
• Vasco de Gama Seeks Sea Route to India - Long, detailed article about de Gama's trip to India.
• Famous Hispanics: Vasco Nunez de Balboa - Biography and illustration of the first European explorer to stand on the eastern shore of the Pacific Ocean.

Spain

• Conquistadors
• Hernando de Soto - Describes de Soto's travels in interior America.
• Modern History sourcebook--Magellan - GReat descriptive page on Magellan.

England and the Netherlands

• Famous British Explorers
• Sebastian Cabot - Biography of Sebastian Cabot.
• John Cabot - A really short biography of John Cabot.
• Modern History Sourcebook: Letters about John Cabot's voyage - Letters about John Cabot's voyage to the New World.

France

• Samuel de Champlain - Virtual museum site on Champlain.
• Famous French Explorers
• Virtual Museum of New France